Electric signaling system for railways.



A. J. WILSON.

Patented Dec. 3, l90l.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

(Application filed May 23, 1900.)

(No Modal.)

WITNESSESE "m: beams PEYERS 00.. FHDTOAJ L BY INVENTOR lTED STATESPATENT rrrcn.

ADONIRAM J. VILSON, OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HALL SIGNALCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,045, dated December3, 1901. Application filed May 23, 1900. Serial No. 17,645. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADONIRAM J. WILSON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of VVestfield, county of Union, and State of New Jersey,have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Signaling Systemsfor Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in IQ electric signaling systemsfor railways.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide an efficient andeconomical system and one in which line-wires maybe dispensed with.

The invention also seeks to provide for the use of home and distantsignals. The signals themselves may be of any type desired. For example,they may be of the inclosed-disk type or of the exposed-blade type, andthe power for operating the signals may be derived from electricaldevices or motors or from water or air under pressure or from othersuitable apparatus. In some cases the battery or other generator in thesignal-circuits may be employed to operate the signals, and

in other cases the signal-circuits may be employed to bring the signalsinto operative connection with other generators for the purpose ofoperating the signals.

0 In the accompanying drawing 1 have shown in diagram two completeblocks of a system in which home and distant signals are employed, thesignals being arranged normally at safety.

Referring now to the particular arrangement as shown in the drawing, 1,2, 3, and 4 indicate the blocks of the track, insulated from each otherin the usual manner; At the entrance of the blocks 2, 3, and 4 arelocated the home signals 5, 6, and 7.

S, 9, and 10 are distant signals, also located at the entrance of theblocks 2, 3, and 4. The rails of the block 2 are included in a circuitcontaining the magnets 11 and 12. The rails of the block 3 are includedin a rail-circuit containing magnets 13 and 14.. The circuit for thehome signal 5 contains the circuit-controller 15, operated by the magnet11. The circuit-controller for the distant signal 8 ineludes thecircuit-controllers 16 and 17, the former being operated by the magnet11 and the latter by the magnet 12. The circuit of the home signal 6 andthe circuit of the distaut signal 9,c0ntain, respectively, thecircuit-controller 1S and 19,0perated by the magnet 13. The circuit ofthe distant signal 9 also contains acircuit-controller 20, operated bythe magnet 14. The rail-circuit of the block 2 is normally closed at thecircuit-com troller 28, the circuit including also a gener- 6o ator of agiven capacity, such as the battery 27. An additional battery 30 isconnected in a branch 29 through the normally open circuit-controller 31with the circuit of the block 2, the arrangement being such that whenthe rail-circuit is in its normal condition the circuit-controller 28will be closed with the battery 27 in the rail-circuit and the branch 29will be open at the circuit-controller 31, with the battery 30 out outof the rail-circuit.

When the circuit-controller 28 is open and the circuit-controller 31 isclosed, both batteries 27 and 30 will be included in the railcircuit.The magnet 11 is so constructed that it will be responsive to thecurrent of the battery 27 or the normal current of the circuit, so as tohold the circuit-controllers 15 and 16 closed against their frontcontacts. The magnet 12 is so constructed as to be unresponsive to thebattery 27 or the normal cur- 8o rent of the circuit, so that itscircuit-controller 17 is closed against its back contact.

The magnet 12, however, is responsive to the current of the battery 30or the current of the batteries 27 and 30 combined, and when thecircuit-controller 31 is closed the magnet becomes responsive and opensthe circuit-controller 17. The rail-circuits for the several blocks havethe same arrangement and mode of operation as that described for block2. The rail-circuit of block 1 is normally closed through thecircuit-controller 22 and the battery 21 of limited capacity and has abranch normally open at the circuit-controller 25, which includes theadditional battery 23. 5 The rail-circuit of the block 3 is normallyclosed through the circuit-controller 34 and the battery 33 of limitedcapacity and has a branch 35, normally open at the circuit-controller36, which includes the additional battery 37.

The distant-signal circuits include, respec- IOO tively, the normallyclosed circuit-controllers 26, 32, and 38. The circuit-controllers 22,25, and 26 are mechanically operated by the home signal 5 and for thispurpose may be connected to the signal blade or disli, as by a rod 39.This connection is so arranged that when the signal 5 is at safety thecircuitcontrollers 22 and 26 will be closed and the circuit-controller25 open, and when the signal 5 is at danger the positions of thecircuit-controllers will be reversed. The home signal 6 is connectedwith the circuit-controllers 28, 31, and 32 in the same way, and thesignal 7 is connected with the circuit-controllers 34, 36, and 38 in thesame way. It will be observed that in the normal condition of the systemthe signal-circuits, both home and distant, are closed, all the signalsstanding at safety.

The operation of the system, as shown in the drawings, is as follows: Atrain entering the block 2 shunts the rail-circuit of the block anddeenergizes the magnet 11, thereby opening the circuit of the homesignal 5 at 15 and the circuit of the distant signal 8 at 16. Thesignals then go to danger, generally by gravity, behind the train. Uponthe home signal 5 going to danger the circuit-controllers 22 and 26 areopened and the circuitcontroller 25 is closed. When the train leaves theblock 2, the magnet 11 then becomes responsive and the circuit of thehome signal 5 is closed at 15, thereby causing or permitting the homesignal 5 to go to safety and shifting the circuit-controllers 22, 25,and 26 to theirnormal positions. The circuit-controller 16 of thecircuit of the distant signal 8 is also closed by the magnet 11; butthis signal-circuit is opened at the circuit-controller 17 as soon asthe train enters the block 3, so that the distant signal 8 is still heldat danger behind the train and remains in this condition as long as thetrain is in block 3, as will now appear. As the train enters the block 3it puts the signals 6 and 9 to danger by opening the circuit-controllers18 and 19. Upon the home signal 6 going to danger thecircuit-controllers 28, 31, and 32 are shifted so that the batteries 27and 30 are included in the rail-circuit of the block 2. The increasedcurrent in this rail-circuit makes responsive the magnet 12, which opensthe circuit-controller 17 in the circuit of the distant signal 8. Thehome signal 6 remains at danger, of course, as long as the train is inblock 3, so that during this time and until the train has passed out ofblock 3 the magnet 12 is responsive, and the distant signal 8 remains atdanger. \Vhen the train enters the block 4, the signals 7 and 10 go todanger, and when the train has left the block 3 the home signal 6 goesto safety. The movement of the home signal 6 to safety shifts thecircuit-controllers 28, 31, and 32 back to normal position. Thecircuit-controller 31, being thus opened, renders the magnet 12unresponsive and closes at 17 the circuit of the distant signal 8, whichthereupon goes to safety. It will thus be seen that a home signalremains at danger while the train is in the block immediately in advanceand that a distant signal remains at danger while the train is in thetwo blocks next in advance of the signal.

My invention (or various features of it) is capable of embodiment invarious arrangements. For example, I may employ only one set of signalsfor the blocks instead of employing both home and distant signals, usingthe signals 8, 9, and 10 as ordinary stop-signals for overlappingblocks. This will be understood when it is borne in mind that thesignals 8, 9, and 10 remain at danger behind the train while the trainis in the two blocks in advance thereof, so that the blocks would betrue overlapping blocks if the signals 8, 9, and 10 were alone used. Itwill also be observed that a distant signal is not able to clear after atrain has passed until after the preceding home signal has began toclear, so that the system overcomes the possibility of having a homesignal at danger, as the signal 6, guarding the block 3, while thedistant signal stands at safety, as the signal 8, which also guards theblock 3. This is done by having the movement of the home signal tosafety shift the circuit-controller into the position which initiatesthe movement to safety of the distant signal in the rear. By thisarrangement any defect in the circuits or in the mechanical operation ofthe home signal which keeps it at danger will also keep the distantsignal at danger.

It will be seen that the magnets of the respective rail-circnits-as, forexample, magnets 11 and 12-are connected in series in the rail-circuit.In arranging the magnets so that the magnet 11 will be responsive andthe magnet 12 will be unresponsive to a given current in the railcircuitand so that an increase in the current will render both mag-' netsresponsive, I construct the magnet 11 so as to have a greater magneticpower for a given current than the magnet 12, as herein shown, and Iincrease and decrease the current by increasing and decreasingbatterypower. I may, however, accomplish the same result of increasingand decreasing the current of the rail-circuit by cutting out andcutting in resistance. The magnets 11 and 12 may be made responsive indifferent degrees to a given currentby winding one with more turns ofwire than the other or by increasing or decreasing the power of one orthe other by a permanent magnet or by the employment of springs orweights of difierent capacities to withstand the attractive powers ofthe magnets. In referring to a magnet as being responsive to current, Imean responsive so as to attract its armature and the contact carriedthereby. As shown,the responsiveness and unresponsiveness of magnets 11and 12 are due to variations in the strength of the current employed.Such responsiveness or unresponsiveness may be effected by othervariations in the current than those merely of strength. Any variationsin the current or in its character may be made use of which will makesaid magnets responsive or unresponsive. In some casesI may employcertain features of my invention with signals standing normally atdanger and may also employ, in some cases, signal-circuits normally openinstead of normally closed.

The home and distant signals at the entrance of a block are preferablyarranged to be operated by a single motor normally in loose connectionwith the signals, but arranged to be automatically put into operativeconnection with either signal, as required.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of a home signaland a distant signal both located at the entrance of a block; a circuitfor the home signal; a circuit for the distant signal; a rail-circuit;means in said rail-circuit operated by the home signal for controllingthe circuit of the distant signal, whereby the distant signal cannot goto safety unless the home signal is at safety.

2. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of a home signaland a distant signal both located at the entrance of a block; a circuitfor the home signal; a circuit for the distant signal; means operated bythe home signal for controlling the circuit of the distant signal,whereby the distant signal cannot go to safety unless the home signal isat safety; and a rail-circuit controlling said signal-circuits andcontaining two magnets, one of which magnets controls the circuit of thehome signal and is responsive to a given current, and the other of whichmagnets controls the circuit of the distant signal and is unresponsiveto said given current; and means for Varying the current in saidrail-circuit and thereby operating one or both of said magnets.

3. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of a home signaland a distant signal both located at the entrance of a block; a circuitfor the home signal; a circuit for the distant signal; means operated bythe home signal for controlling the circuit of the distant signal,whereby the distant signal cannot go to safety unless the home signal isat safety; and a rail-circuit controlling said signal-circuits andcontaining two magnets, one of which magnets controls the circuit of thehome signal and is responsive to a given current, and the other of whichmagnets controls the circuit of the distant signal and is unresponsiveto said given current; a signal in advance of said home and distantsignals, and means controlled by said signal in advance for Varying thecurrentin said rail-circuit and thereby operating one or both of saidmagnets.

4. In an electric block-signaling system, the combination of home anddistant signals at the entrance of each block; a circuit for each homesignal; a circuit for each distant signal; means operated by a homesignal at the entrance of a block for controlling the circuit of thedistant signal at the entrance of the same block; a rail-circuit foreach block containing two magnets, one of which is responsive to a givencurrent and controls the circuit of the home signal and the other ofwhich is unresponsive to said given' current and controls the circuit ofthe distant signal, and means operated by the home signal in ad vancefor varying the current of said railcircuit and thereby makingresponsive one or both of said magnets.

5. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of a signal, acircuit for said signal containing two circuit-controllers; arailcircuit containing two magnets for said circuit-controllers, one ofsaid magnets being responsive and the other unresponsive to a givencurrent; a signal in advance of the first-menti0ned signal; and meansoperated by said signal in advance for varying the current in saidrail-circuit.

6. In an electrical signalingsystem, the combination of a signal, acircuit for said signal containing two circuit-controllers; arailcircuit containing two magnets for said circuit-controllers, one ofsaid magnets being responsive and the other unresponsive to a givencurrent; a signal in advance of the first-mentioned signal; meansoperated by said signal in advance for varying the current in saidrail-circuit, and a rail-circuit in advance of said last-mentionedsignal controlling the movement thereof.

7. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of a signal, asignal-circuit containing two circuit-controllers; a normally closedrail-circuit containing two magnets for said circuit-controllers, one ofsaid magnets being responsive and the other unresponsive to the normalcurrent of the rail-circuit; a signal in advance of said first-mentionedsignal; and means operated by said signal in advance for increasing anddecreasing the current in said rail-circuit.

8. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of a signal, asignal-circuit containing two circuit-controllers; a normally closedrail-circuit containing two magnets for said circuit-controllers, one ofsaid magnets being responsive and the other unresponsive to the normalcurrent of the rail-circuit; a signal in advance of said first-mentionedsignal; means operated by said signal in advance for varying the currentin said railcircuit; and a rail-circuit in advance of saidlast-mentioned signal controlling the movement thereof.

9. In an electrical signaling system, the

combination of a distant signal; a circuit 1 therefor having twocircuit-controllers a railcircuit having two magnets for saidcircuitcontrollers, one of said magnets being responsive and the otherunresponsive to a given current in the rail-circuit; a home signal inadvance of the distant signal and means operated by said home signal forvarying the current in the rail-circuit, whereby the con-.

dition of the distant signal is dependent upon the position of the homesignal.

10. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of a distantsignal a circuit therefor having two circuit-controllers, a railcircuithaving two magnets for said circuitcontrollers, one of said magnetsbeing responsive and the other unresponsive to a given current in therail-circuit; a home signal in advance of the distant signal and meansoperated by said home signal for varying the current in therail-circuit, whereby the condition of the distant signal is dependentupon the position of the home signal, and a railcircuit controlling theposition of the home signal.

11. In an electrical signaling system the combination of home anddistant signals; a circuit for the home signal; a circuit containing twocircuit-controllers for the distant signal; arail-circuit having twomagnets for said circuit-controllers, one of said magnets beingresponsive to a given current in the rail-circuit and controlling thecircuit of the home signal and also one of the circuit-controllers ofthe distant-signal circuit, the other of said magnets controlling theother circuit-controller of the distant-signal circuit and being unresponsive to the said given current in the rail-circuit; and meanscontrolled by a train from a point in advance for varying the current inthe rail-circuit, whereby a train on passing the signals causes both tostand at danger and as the train passes beyond a point in advancepermits the home signal to go to safety and holds the distant signal atdanger until it has passeda point farther in advance.

12. In an electrical signaling system the combination of home anddistant signals; a circuit for the home signal; a circuit containing twocircuit-controllers for the distant signal; a normally closedrail-circuit having two magnets for said circuit-controllers, one ofsaid magnets being responsive to the normal current of the rail-circuitand controlling the circuit of the home signal and also one of thecircuit-controllers of the distantsignal circuit, the other of saidmagnets controlling the other circuit-controller of the distant-signalcircuit and being unresponsive to the said normal current of therail-circuit; and means controlled by a train from a point in advancefor varying the current in the railcircuit, whereby a train on passingthe signals causes both to stand at danger and as the train passesbeyond a point in advance permits the home signal to go to safety andholds the distant signal at danger until it has passed a point fartherin advance.

13. In a block-signaling system the combination of two blocks of atrack; home signals shapes for the blocks; a distant signal controlledby atrain in both blocks; a circuit for each home signal; a circuit forthe distant signal having two circuitcontrollers; a rail-circuit for thefirst block having two magnets, one magnet controlling the home-signalcircuit for the first block and one of the circuit-controllers of thedistant-signal circuit and being responsive to a given current in therail-circuit, the other of said magnets being unresponsive to said givencurrent in the rail-circuit and controlling the other circuit-controllerof the distant-signal circuit; and arail-circuit for the second blockcontrolling the home signal for the second block; and means controlledby the rail-circuit for the second block for varying the current of therail-circuit of the first block.

14. In a block-signaling system the combi= nation of two blocks of atrack; home signals for the blocks; a distant signal controlled by atrain in both blocks; a circuit for each home signal; a circuit for thedistant signal having two circuit-controllers; a rail-circuit for thefirst block having two magnets, one magnet controlling the home-signalcircuit for the first block and one of the circuit-controllers of thedistant-signal circuit and being responsive to a given current in therail-circuit, the other of said magnets being unresponsive to said givencurrent in the rail-circuit and controlling the other circuit-controllerof the distant-signal circuit; and a rail-circuit for the second blockcontrolling the home signal for the second block; and means operated bythe home signal for the second block for varying the current of therail-circuit of the first block.

15. In a block-signaling system the combination of a series of blocks;home and distant signals located at the entrance of the blocks; acircuit for each home signal; a circuit containing twocircuit-controllers for each distant signal; a rail-circuit for eachblock containing two magnets, one magnet controlling a home-signalcircuit and also one of the circuit-controllers of a distant-signalcircuit and being responsive to a given current in its railcircuit, theother magnet of said rail-circuit being unresponsive to said givencurrent and controlling the other circuit-con troller of saiddistant-signal circuit; and means for varying the current of eachrail-circuit in the series controlled by the rail-circuit in advance.

16. In a block-signaling system the combination of a series of blocks;home and distant signals located at the entrance of the blocks; acircuit for each home signal; a circuit containing twocircuit-controllers for each distant signal; a rail-circuit for eachblock containing two magnets, one magnet controlling a home-signalcircuit and also one of the circuit-controllers of a distant-signalcircuit and being responsive to a given current in its railcircuit, theother magnet of said rail-circuit being unresponsive to said givencurrent and controlling the other circuit-controller of saiddistant-signal circuit; and means for varying the current of eachrail-circuit in the series operated by the home signal in advance.

17. In a block-signaling system the'combination of two blocks of atrack; home signals for the blocks; a distant signal controlled by atrain in both blocks; a circuit for each home signal; a circuit for thedistant signal having two circuit controllers; a normally closedrail-circuit for the first block having two magnets, one magnetcontrolling the home-signal circuit for the first block and one of thecircuit-controllers of the distant-signal circuit and being responsiveto a normal current in the rail-circuit, the other of said magnets beingunresponsive to said normal current in the rail-circuit and controllingthe other circuit-controller of the distant-signal circuit; and arail-circuit for the second block controlling the home signal for thesecond block; and means controlled by the rail-circuit for the secondblock for varying the normal current of the rail-circuit of the firstblock.

18. In a block-signaling system, the combination of a series of blocks;home and distant signals standing normally at safety located at theentrance of the blocks; a normally closed circuit for each home signal;a normally closed circuit containing two circuitcontrollers for eachdistant signal; a rail-circuit for each block containing two magnets,one magnet controlling a home-signal circuit and also one of thecircuit-controllers of a distant-signal circuit and being responsive toa given current in its rail-circuit, the other magnet of saidrail-circuit being unresponsive to said given current and controllingthe other circuit-controller of said distant-signal circuit; and meansfor varying the current of each rail-circuit in the series controlled bythe rail-circuit in advance.

19. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of a normallyclosed signal-circuit containing two circuit-controllers; a normallyclosed rail-circuit containing two magnets for said circuit-controllers;one of said magnets being responsive and the other unresponsive to agiven current; and means for varying the current in the rail-circuit tomake responsive both or one of said magnets and thereby affect thesignal-circuit.

20. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of a signalstanding normally at safety, a normally closed circuit for said signalcontaining two circuit-controllers; a railcircuit containing two magnetsfor said circuit-controllers, one of said magnets being responsive andthe other unresponsive to a given current; a signal in advance of thefirst mentioned signal; and means operated by said signal in advance forvarying the current in said rail-circuit.

21. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of a distantsignal standing normally at safety; a normally closed circuit thereforhaving two circuit-controllers a railcircuit having two magnets for saidcircuitcontrollers, one of said magnets being responsive and the otherunresponsive to a given current in the rail-circuit; a home signalstanding normally at safety in advance ofthe distant signal and meansoperated by said home signal for varying the current in therail-circuit,whereby the condition of the distant signal is dependentupon the position of the home signal.

22. In an electrical signaling system the combination of home anddistant signals standing normally at safety; a circuit normally closedfor the home signal; a normally closed circuit containing twocircuit-controllers for the distant signal; a normally closedrail-circuit having two magnets for said circuit-controllers, one ofsaid magnets being responsive to the normal current of the railcircuit;and controlling the circuitof the home signal and also one of thecircuit-controllers of the distant-signal circuit, the other of saidmagnets controlling the other circuit-controller of the distant-signalcircuit and being unresponsive to the said normal current of therail-circuit; and means controlled by a train from a point in advancefor varying the current in the rail-circuit, whereby a train on passingthe signals causes both to stand at danger and as the train passesbeyond a point in advance permits the home signal to go to safety andholds the distant signal at danger until it has passed a point fartherin advance.

23. In an automatic electric signaling system, the combination of adistant signal; a circuit for the distant signal havingacircuitcontroller; a circuit containing a normally unresponsive magnetoperating said circuitcontroller for putting said signal to safety; ahome signal in advance of said distant signal; and means controlled bythe movement of the home signal to safety for making responsive saidmagnet, whereby the home signal must go to safety before the distantsignal can go to safety.

24. In an electrical signaling system the combination of home anddistant signals; a circuit for the home signal; a circuit containing twocircuit-controllers for the distant signal; a circuit having two magnetsfor said circuit-controllers, one of said magnets being responsive to agiven current in the said circuit and controlling the circuit of thehome signal and also one of the circuit-controllers of thedistant-signal circuit, the other of said magnets controlling the othercircuit-controller of the distant-signal circuit and being unresponsiveto the said given current in its own circuit; and means controlled by atrain for varying the current in the circuit having the two magnets,whereby a train on passing the signals causes both to stand at dangerand as the train passes beyond a pointin advance permits the home signalto go to safety and holds the distant signal at danger until it haspassed a point farther in advance.

25. In an electrical signaling system the combination of home anddistant signals; a

ICC

circuit for the home signal; a circuit containing twocircuit-controllers for the distant signal; a rail-circuit having twomagnets for said circuit-controllers, one of said magnets beingresponsive to a given current in the railcircuit and controlling thecircuit of the home signal and also one of the circuit-controllers ofthe distant-signal circuit, the other of said magnets controlling theother circuit-controller of the distant-signal circuit and beingunresponsive to the said given current in the rail-circuit; and meanscontrolled by a train from a point in advance for varying the curess;o45

rent in the rail-circuit, whereby a, train on passing the signals causesboth to stand at 15 danger and as the train passes beyond a point inadvance permits the home signal to go to safety and holds the distantsignal at danger until it has passed a point farther in advance.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 20 name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ADONIRAM J. WILSON.

Witnesses:

O. M. BARTLETT, L. J. MOOABE.

